Danny's story

Posted on: 12th January 2014

Learning to ski...

Danny is a 20-year-old who has cerebral palsy, which affects his coordination of movement and he has difficulties learning new information. He was very keen to try out the same leisure activities as his friends and this included learning to ski.

He asked his occupational therapist (OT) if this would ever be possible for him, considering the extent of his difficulties. Our OT contacted Disability Snowsport UK to arrange for Danny to try skiing lessons with one of their instructors. The OT met his instructor beforehand so she could help him to understand Danny’s impairments, how they affect his function and how they might impact on him learning to ski.

The OT and instructor worked together to look at different strategies that could be used to assist Danny with physical tasks like putting on ski gear, and to help Danny learn the new information he was expected to remember from lesson to lesson.

Danny had a great experience and enjoyed learning to ski alongside his support worker, with the help of Disability Snowsport UK. Danny and his support worker now go skiing together regularly. His next goal is a skiing holiday abroad.